


A Baby by Any Other Name

by IncendiaGlacies



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pre-Series, RipFic, Timeship Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 16:30:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12236559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncendiaGlacies/pseuds/IncendiaGlacies
Summary: "Jonas...Did you name your son after Hex?"- Ray PalmerThat's not exactly how it happened. Gideon might have had a say in it too (and Rip can't argue with her and his wife at the same time)Written for Timeship Week 2017. Day One: Pre-series





	A Baby by Any Other Name

**Author's Note:**

> Based off my crack headcanon that Jonas' full name is 'Jonas Gideon Hunter'

“He’s just so cute when he’s asleep.”

“You don’t seem to think so when he’s awake and screaming. He is your son after all.”

“Our son,” Rip corrected as he turned to look at his wife. Miranda smiled at him and leaned against her husband as they both looked down at the sleeping angel in the crib.

“He really is cute when you don’t have to think about all the crying and diaper changing,” Miranda admitted.

“Even those parts are treasures,” Rip lamented as he looked at his son. Soon he would have to go back to work and leave his family again for who knew how long.

“How long do you think it will be safe to keep them aboard, Gideon?” Rip asked the ceiling.

“No one will notice anything amiss for at least another three months,” Gideon answered, “You still have enough time to spend with your family, Captain.”

“It’s never enough time,” Rip muttered. Miranda squeezed his hand and kissed him softly.

“Perhaps you should consider an early retirement then, Captain.”

Rip frowned as he looked up again, “Gideon?”

“You have spent enough time being a Time Master. Perhaps your time would be better spent with your family than protecting time,” Gideon explained.

“I thought you were done trying to get rid of me?” Rip joked.

“I am merely stating the truth,” Gideon replied tonelessly.

“What, so you can torture another young Time Master? No, best not to,” Rip dismissed her arguments with a forced laugh. A strangled wail interrupted Rip’s thoughts.

Miranda sighed next to him before picking their child up. “I suppose an hour of peace and quiet was a bit unrealistic, wasn’t it my sweet child?” Miranda cooed at her son. The baby gave a few more cries before quieting down as his mother rocked him. Rip smiled at the pair, simply enjoying this affectionate side of Miranda. Normally, only Rip was witness to it. He knew she had been apprehensive about not being a good mother, but she was a natural. Rip knew she would be. If anything he was worried his own son wouldn’t even know him with all the time he was going to be away. He shook the thought away and crowded Miranda, a hand on his son’s back to help soothe him. If he had to be away, he might as well make the most of it now while he had them.

Miranda moved closer to him, clearly sensing his longing, “It’s going to be fine.”

“I know.”

“If anything, I’m more worried that we won’t be able to do without you,” Miranda admitted, “It’s been so easy here on the Waverider. I worry how I’ll get everything handled on my own.” There was no chance of her not needing Rip or them forgetting him. No matter what the man thought.

“I have taken care of most everything to get you both set up for your new lives, Miranda,” Gideon finally spoke up.

“Yes, that’s true,” Rip almost bounced with excitement, “I’ve had Gideon take care of everything. Especially for the baby. Gideon, pull up all legal documents for our son, please.” The screen in the study was suddenly cluttered with information. Rip explained, “Obviously he was born on the Waverider, but Gideon pulled some strings. Now the lovely New London Hospital has records of our son being born there at 2:17 am, on November 23rd. See, birth certificate, immunization records. It’s all there.”

Miranda nodded as she scrutinized the screen, “Rip? When were you going to tell me you changed our son’s name?”

“What?” Rip furrowed his brow, “I didn’t change his name. Jonah Thomas Hunter. It’s what we agreed on.”

“Jonas Gideon Hunter,” Miranda pointed to the birth certificate on the screen behind him.

Rip whirled around at the screen and frowned, “Gideon!”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Would you like to explain yourself?” Rip grinded his teeth.

“Concerning?”

“Concerning the fact that you saw it fit to rename my son without my consent.”

“I did offer suggestions on names if you recall,” Gideon replied. Rip merely rolled his eyes. She kept fabricating baby name books and suggesting ‘Gideon’ was a perfectly acceptable name. He didn’t think she’d take it this far.

“Change it back. Now,” Rip all but growled. There was no response so Rip persisted, “Gideon!”

“Very well, Captain,” Gideon sounded defeated.

“Hold on, Gideon,” Miranda stopped the AI. The former Time Master turned to her husband, “I rather like it.” Rip looked at her in betrayal. Before he could respond, Miranda continued, “Gideon, could you please give us a few minutes?”

“Of course, Miranda,” Gideon agreed. Then there was silence. Gideon was no longer listening in on their conversation.

“She’s supposed to listen to me, not you,” Rip pouted, “It’s not fair. She’s supposed to like me best.”

Miranda rolled her eyes at his childishness as she bounced her son, “Maybe you should remind her that you like her too.”

“What?”

“Honestly, I think you’re worse than I am at this,” Miranda sighed. It would be their luck that the AI had more emotional capacity than either of them at times, and Rip never even noticed. “Do you know how many Time Masters wanted Gideon as their AI? And you’re the one that got her, and look at how you’re treating her!”

“She changed our son’s name,” Rip argued, “She shouldn’t be so self-aware. That-”

“That’s what you like best about her,” Miranda countered. He had said so on multiple occasions.

“When she does what I say!” Miranda gave it a second as Rip realized what he had said. She could pinpoint the exact moment it happened as his eyes widened in horror, “I didn’t mean that. Oh, thank goodness she isn’t listening. She would never forgive me for that. You’re right, I like her exactly how she is. But she should have talked to me before changing his name!”

“Maybe she tried,” Miranda offered. Rip frowned in confusion so she continued, “Rip this entire time I – we’ve been on board, she’s been making comments about you retiring. About how you clearly have other priorities now. About-”

“That’s just how we are,” Rip shrugged, “She likes giving me a hard time. It’d get boring on the ship if she did everything I said without some sort of backtalk.” It didn’t bother him. At the end of the day, Gideon did what was best for him. Whether he asked for it or not.

“To the point of demeaning her own value in your life?” Miranda arched an eyebrow. Miranda stared at the blank expression on his face and huffed, “Rip! She’s not joking around when she says those things!”

The thought clearly shook Rip to his core as he took a step back and leaned against his desk. Miranda stepped forward hesitantly. Rip looked at her owlishly, “Why, why would she mean it? She can’t mean it! Why would she want me to actually leave her?” Sure they had gotten off to a rough start, but they were good now. Rip trusted Gideon with his life. With Miranda’s life. His son’s life. And she wanted him gone?

“I think it’s the opposite,” Miranda admitted as she shifted her son to her other arm, “I think she’s scared you’re going to leave anyways. I mean, Rip, I’ve been on the ship for what, a month now? She’s not used to other people, and she’s not used to sharing you. Not like this.”

“You think she’s jealous of you?” Rip frowned in further confusion.

Miranda snorted, “Oh please, Gideon loves me. I meant she doesn’t like other people. Besides, it’s not my name she changed.” Miranda gave him a pointed look. She watched as Rip mulled over her worlds and a look of realization washed over his face. “You should talk to her,” Miranda told him. She kissed him before babbling at the baby, “Come on, Jonas. Daddy has to get yelled at now. You don’t want to see that.” Miranda winked at him before leaving his study. Rip sighed and crossed his arms as he sat on his desk. Well, he supposed, that argument was settled.

“Gideon?” he called softly.

“I’m here, Captain,” Gideon’s warm voice echoed in the room.

“You always are,” Rip said to himself quietly, “Sorry, could you?” He didn’t have to finish, already her holographic head flickered on. “Thank you.”

“I apologize for earlier, Captain. I will correct the birth certificate right away,” Gideon said.

“No. No, there’s no need for that,” Rip shook his head, “Miranda already agreed to it. So I suppose it’s ‘Jonas’ now.” Even if Miranda agreed on ‘Jonas’ in five seconds but it took Rip three months to have her even consider ‘Thomas’.

“I think it’s a rather nice name as well,” Gideon agreed in her usual bright tone.

“Yes, I’m sure you do,” Rip muttered under his breath. Gideon’s hologram flickered off causing Rip to yell, “We’re not done talking, Gideon! Come back here!”

“I’m always here, Captain. There’s no need to shout,” Gideon scolded him, as her avatar appeared again, “You and Miranda have agreed on the child’s name. What else is there to discuss?”

“How about why you changed his name in the first place?”

“I already told you. ‘Gideon’ is a lovely, gender neutral name.”

“Any reason you had to change the first name too?”

“It was only off by one letter. I made a mistake.”

Rip snorted, “You never make mistakes.” Gideon gave no response. Rip sighed and moved on to the larger matter at hand, “Why do you want me to leave?”

“Why would you think I want that?”

“Well you’ve only been bringing up my departure for the last six months or so,” Rip explained nonchalantly.

“I am merely reminding you of your other responsibilities, Captain Hunter,” Gideon stated matter-of-factly.

“Gideon,” Rip warned.

The blue head disappeared, but Gideon’s disembodied voice continued, “I don’t want you to regret your decision to stay. You have no reason to continue your life as a Time Master.”

“Why would you say that?” Rip felt as though someone had punched all the air out of him. He had always relied on Gideon for guidance and support. If she didn’t believe in him, then what point was there to being a Time Master?

“I know you, Captain. You may prefer to work alone, but you don’t like to be lonely. A Time Master’s life is one of solitude. You have a family. Why would you choose a life where you have no one, over a life with your family?”

“Gideon, I’m not alone,” Rip sighed at her, “Of course, I have someone.”

“Mr. Hex hardly counts, Sir. Even if you did name your son after him. You haven’t seen him in years since Calvert,” Gideon responded testily. Rip had always loved the variations in her tone of voice. She always showed so much emotion, even without a body.

“So you really are jealous!” Rip teased.

“Of what?” Gideon snapped at him.

“Of Jonah. That I would name my son after him.”

“Artificial Intelligence are not capable of emotion-” Rip gave a snort of disbelief at that, “-And even if I were. Being jealous is an absolutely preposterous idea and I am far above that!”

“Well if you were-”

“I’m not!”

“You have no reason to be,” Rip reassured her, “Gideon, I’m not alone because I have you. Forget about Jonah and other Time Masters. I don’t need them. Not when I have you to depend on.”

“It’s not the same, Captain. You need a connection with someone who is real,” Gideon urged softly.

“You are real,” Rip argued fiercely, “You are very real to me, Gideon.”

“Then you need someone who is human, and that is not a form I can ever have,” Gideon informed him detachedly.

“I already know that. But being human doesn’t guarantee I’m going to have a connection with them, Gideon.”

“You clearly had a lasting connection with Mr. Hex. You named your son after him.”

And there it was, the truth of the matter. Gideon’s voice was quiet and doleful. Miranda had been right – she usually was – Gideon was doubting her place in Rip’s life. He couldn’t have that.

Rip crossed his arms, leaning against his desk as he spoke clearly, “My son’s name is Jonas Gideon Hunter. Because my best friend picked it.”

Gideon’s hologram turned back on, “Captain?”

Rip looked straight at her, willing her to understand, “My friendship with Jonah is nowhere near my friendship with you. I stole a coat from him. I named my son after you.”

“Technically speaking, I did,” Gideon bantered lightly.

“Yes, you did,” Rip laughed lightly, happy to hear the warmth and happiness in her voice again, “And I let you, because you are my best friend. It’s what you are to me, Gideon. Human or not. You are going to have to try a hell of a lot harder if you want to get me to leave.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Captain,” Gideon finally admitted.

“Good. Because I’m not going anywhere. I can’t just leave you, Gideon. You’re my best friend,” Rip repeated yet again to drive the fact home to her, “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Gideon gave no response other than disappearing again. But Rip didn’t need a verbal response from her. He knew how she felt by everything she did for him: how she kept the ship in flight, how she kept fabricating baby toys for Jonas, how she looked after Miranda after every bout of morning sickness she had, how she adjusted the temperature just right for when he slept. She didn’t have to say anything. Rip always knew he was her favourite anyways.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Leave a kudos/review with thoughts, comments, anything?


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